Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 3rd ODI: head-to-head and other key stats

Sri Lanka and Afghanistan will lock horns in the final ODI of the ongoing three-match series. With the series levelled at one-all, we expect a cracking contest between these two teams at the Mahinda Rajapaksa international stadium in Hambantota. After being handed a crushing six-wicket defeat in the first ODI, Sri Lanka bounced back strongly, securing a whopping 132-run victory in the subsequent fixture. Batting first, the hosts posted a mammoth total of 323 runs and defended it successfully, riding on spectacular three-fers from Wanindu Hasaranga and Dhananjaya de Silva. 

On the other hand, Afghanistan had an incredible start to the series, registering an emphatic victory in the first ODI. However, the visitors were a pale shadow of themselves in the last game, as they incurred a demoralising defeat. While Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmat Shah have been consistent, the visitors would like better returns from Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Najibullah Zadran, who have been off-colour on the tour. Their bowlers enjoyed stellar success in the first game, but unfortunately failed to replicate the same level of success in the last match. So, the visitors must regroup and work on the grey areas to get back on the winning track.

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Pitch

The surface at the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium has been a balanced one where spinners get a lot of assistance. The ball might do a little bit for the fast bowlers in the initial stages of the match, but it will get easier to bat as the match progresses. The team winning the toss would be inclined to bowl first at this venue.

Head-to-Head

Total Matches – 3

Sri Lanka – 2

Afghanistan – 1

Match Details:

Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan, 3rd ODI

Venue: Hambantota International Cricket Stadium, Sri Lanka

Date & Time: 1st June, at 10 AM IST, Local 10:00 AM

FACTS

STATS – Test